Using a Private Investigator to Find a Phone Number

If you were to need an ordinary number, you might turn to the white pages; the white pages are a book of names and/or businesses and a phone number following that name.  There is also what is called, “reverse telephone lookup”, this is different, instead of a list of names, there are a list of numbers, and when you lookup a particular number, there is the name next to it.  That’s perhaps an oversimplification, but you catch the drift, with reverse telephone lookup, you have the ability (not the guarantee) of using a telephone number to find a person’s name.

And of course, whenever there is a need, you’ll find someone or a group of someone’s who are or attempting to fill the need on the web.  There are numerous Reverse telephone number lookup sites, some free, others that charge a fee.  Take a good look around and make certain you know what you are getting prior to paying your fee(s).

There are by definition cell phone directory sites; these are similar too the white pages you’ll might find on kitchen table.  There will be a list of names (or perhaps you’ll input a name) and a number is given in return.  To be honest, I’ve not had a lot of luck with these services, although the ones I’ve tried are the free ones.  And of course, even the free sites will try (sometimes in sneaky ways) to lead you into paying a fee for the more advanced services.  I have heard tales of people using these sites, paying their fees, then getting the cell phone number of someone with a similar (or same) name, but the not the number they were looking for.

Now, if you’re desperate, have money to spend or just need something done right, it’s possible you’ll want to hire an actual investigator, or private investigator (PI).  If this is the road you take, you WILL spend money, and they don’t work free or cheap.  They will take a different route, and one given time and their experience, will probably work; they call family, friends, neighbors, employers and whomever they can think of, posing as a family friend, or someone who went to high school with them.  Given a convincing presentation and these “private investigators” are good, they’ll likely find you the number, what it costs you however, might be more than you bargain for.  So make certain to get all costs in writing and agreed to prior to giving them the “go ahead”.

First, start your own search and see what you can dig up on your own.  It’s amazing what you’ll find by doing a search with the name and city of the person you’re looking for.  I did one on myself, and WHAM… there I was, complete with mailing address and phone number.  If I’d been hiding out, I’d have quickly been found.